US 12,421,901 B2
Carbon radial seal
Jonathan L. Miller, Belchertown, MA (US); Jonathan F. Zimmitti, Glastonbury, CT (US); Christopher Charles Killian, Coatesville, PA (US); and Bryan Richard Camerlin, Bozeman, MT (US)
Assigned to RTX Corporation, Farmington, CT (US)
Filed by RTX Corporation, Farmington, CT (US)
Filed on Feb. 7, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/435,985.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/444,112, filed on Feb. 8, 2023.
Prior Publication US 2025/0109711 A1, Apr. 3, 2025
Int. Cl. F16J 15/34 (2006.01); F02C 7/28 (2006.01)
CPC F02C 7/28 (2013.01) [F16J 15/34 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A machine comprising:
an outer member;
an inner member having an outer diameter (OD) surface; and
a seal system comprising:
a seal housing mounted to the outer member and having a first wall and a second wall;
a first seal stage contacting the inner member outer diameter (OD) surface and the first wall;
a second seal stage contacting the inner member outer diameter (OD) surface and the second wall; and
a wave spring biasing the first and second seal stages axially apart from each other, wherein:
the first seal stage comprises a plurality of seal segments interfitting end to end and each segment having:
a first end;
a second end circumferentially opposite the first end;
a first face;
a second face axially opposite the first face;
an inner diameter (ID) face; and
an outer diameter (OD) face having a circumferential groove and a single radially protruding lug;
the second seal stage comprises a plurality of seal segments interfitting end to end and each segment having:
a first end;
a second end circumferentially opposite the first end;
a first face;
a second face axially opposite the first face;
an inner diameter (ID) face; and
an outer diameter (OD) face having a circumferential groove and a single radially protruding lug, the radially protruding lug between the circumferential groove and the second face;
for the segments of the first stage and the second stage the outer diameter (OD) face has respective radial reliefs at a first circumferential end and a second circumferential end of the protruding lug;
the first stage and the second stage each comprise a garter spring holding the seal segments together; and
the housing further comprises:
an inner diameter (ID) surface having a plurality of recesses receiving the lugs of the first stage and the second stage to circumferentially retain the first stage and the second stage.